قَالَSaidالْأَصْمَعِيُّ:Al-Asma'i:
Al-Asma'i said:
قَالَSaidالْخَلِيلُAl-Khalilبْنُibnسَهْلٍ:Sahl:
Al-Khalil ibn Sahl said:
يَاOأَبَاAbuسَعِيدٍSaeed,أَعْلَمْتَdid you knowأَنَّthatطُولَthe length ofرُمْحِthe spear ofرُسْتُمَRustumكَانَwasسَبْعِينَseventyذِرَاعاًcubitsمِنْofحَدِيدٍironمُصْمَتٍsolidفِيinغِلَظِthickness ofالرَّاقُودِ؟the large jar?
O Abu Saeed, did you know that the spear of Rustum was seventy cubits of solid iron, as thick as a large jar?
قَالَ:He said:فَقُلْتُSo I said,هَاhere isهُنَاhereأَعْرَابِيٌّa Bedouinلَهُwho hasمَعْرِفَةٌknowledge,فَاذْهَبْso goبِنَاwith usإِلَيْهِto himنُحَدِّثْهُthat we may tell himبِهَذَا.about this.
He said: So I said, "Here is a Bedouin who has some knowledge, so let's go to him and tell him about this."
فَذَهَبْتُSo I wentبِهِwith himإِلَىtoالْأَعْرَابِيِّthe Bedouin,فَقَالَand he toldلَهُhimذَلِكَthat.
So I went with him to the Bedouin, and he told him that story.
فَقَالَThen saidالْأَعْرَابِيُّ:the Bedouin:قَدْIndeedسَمِعْنَاwe have heardبِهَذَاof this,وَقَدْand indeedبَلَغَنَاit has reached usأَنَّthatرُسْتُمَRustumهَذَاthis oneوَاسْفَنْدِيَارَand Isfandyarأَتَيَاcame toلُقْمَانَLuqmanبْنَibnعَادٍAdبِالْبَادِيَةِin the desert,فَوَجَدَاهُand they found himنَائِماًsleepingوَرَأْسُهُwith his headفِيinحِجْرِthe lap ofأُمِّهِhis mother.
The Bedouin said: "We have indeed heard of this, and it has reached us that this Rustum and Isfandyar came to Luqman ibn Ad in the desert and found him sleeping with his head in his mother's lap."
فَقَالَتْSo she saidلَهُمَا:to them both:مَاWhat isشَأْنُكُمَا؟your business?
She said to them both: "What is your business?"
فَقَالَا:They said:بَلَغَنَاWe heard ofشِدَّةُthe might ofهَذَاthisالرَّجُلِman,فَأَتَيْنَاهُ،so we came to him.
They said: "We heard of the might of this man, so we came to him."
فَانْتَبَهَThen he woke upفَزِعاًalarmedمِنْfromكَلَامِهِمَاtheir speech,فَنَفَخَهُمَاand he blew upon themفَأَلْقَاهُمَاand cast themإِلَىtoأَصْفَهَانَIsfahan,فَقُبُورُهُمَاand their gravesالْيَوْمَtodayبِهَا.are there.
Then he woke up startled by their talk, blew upon them, and cast them to Isfahan, and their graves are there today.
فَقَالَSaidالْخَلِيلُ:Al-Khalil:قَبَحَكَMay God curseاللَّهُyou,مَاhowأَكْذَبَكَ!great a liar you are!
Al-Khalil said: "May God curse you, what a great liar you are!"
فَقَالَ:He said:يَاOابْنَson ofأَخِيmy brother,مَاthere isبَيْنَنَاbetween usشَيْءٌnothingإِلَّاexceptوَهُوَthat it isدُونَless thanالرَّاقُودِ.the large jar.
He said: "O my brother's son, everything between us is less than the large jar!"
قِيلَ:It was said:وَقَدِمَSome worker arrivedبَعْضُfromالْعُمَّالِhis workمِنْandعَمَلٍinvitedفَدَعَاpeopleقَوْماًtoإِلَىhis foodطَعَامِهِand beganوَجَعَلَtelling themيُحَدِّثُهُمْlies.بِالْكَذِبِSo some of them said:فَقَالَWe areبَعْضُهُمْ:as Allahنَحْنُthe Almighty said:كَمَاConstant listenersقَالَto falsehood,اللَّهُdevourers ofعَزَّunlawful earnings.وَجَلَّ:unlawfulسَمَّاعُونَearningsلِلْكَذِبِearningsأَكَّالُونَearningsلِلسُّحْتِ.earnings
It was said: A worker came from his province and invited people to his food, and he began telling them lies. So one of them said: "We are as Allah the Almighty said: 'Listeners to falsehood, devourers of unlawful gain.'"
[وَمِمَّنْAnd among those whoذَمَّcondemnedالْكَذِبَ]lying]
[And among those who condemned lying]
قِيلَ:It was said:إِنَّهُIt was foundوُجِدَin the booksفِيof India:كُتُبِA liarالْهِنْدِ:has noلَيْسَchivalry,لِكَذُوبٍnor an anxious personمُرُوءَةٌleadership,وَلَاnor a bored personلِضَجُورٍloyalty,رِيَاسَةٌnor a miserوَلَاa friend.لِمَلُولٍloyaltyوَفَاءٌloyaltyوَلَاloyaltyلِبَخِيلٍloyaltyصَدِيقٌ.loyalty
It was said: It was found in the books of India: "A liar has no chivalry, an impatient person has no leadership, a fickle person has no loyalty, and a miser has no friend."
وَقَالَAnd saidقُتَيْبَةُQutaybahبْنُibnمُسْلِمٍMuslimلِبَنِيهِ:to his sons:لَاDo notتَطْلُبُواseekالْحَوَائِجَneedsمِنْfromكَذُوبٍa liar,فَإِنَّهُfor he makesيُقَرِّبُهَاthem appear nearوَإِنْeven ifكَانَتْthey areبَعِيدَةًfar,وَيُبْعِدُهَاand makes them farوَإِنْeven ifكَانَتْthey areقَرِيبَةً،near.
Qutaybah ibn Muslim said to his sons: "Do not ask for your needs from a liar, for he makes distant things seem close to you and close things seem distant."
وَلَاNorمِنْfromرَجُلٍa manقَدْwho hasجَعَلَmadeالْمَسْأَلَةَaskingمَأْكَلَةًa livelihood,فَإِنَّهُfor he putsيُقَدِّمُhis own needحَاجَتَهُbefore itقَبْلَهَاand makesوَيَجْعَلُyour needحَاجَتَكَa shieldوِقَايَةًfor it.لَهَا،for it
And do not ask a man who has made begging a means of livelihood, for he puts his own need first and makes your need a shield for it.
وَلَاNorمِنْfromأَحْمَقَa foolish person,فَإِنَّهُfor he wantsيُرِيدُto benefit youنَفْعَكَbut harmsفَيَضُرُّكَ.you.
Nor from a foolish person, for he intends to benefit you but ends up harming you.
وَقِيلَ:And it was said:أَمْرَانِTwo thingsلَاare neverيَنْفَكَّانِseparatedمِنْfromكَذِبٍ:a liar:كَثْرَةُabundance ofالْمَوَاعِيدِpromisesوَشِدَّةُand intensity ofالْاعْتِذَارِ.apologies.
It was said: Two things never leave a liar: excessive promises and abundant excuses.
وَقَالَ:And he said:كَفَاكَIt is enoughمُوَخِّباًas a reproachعَلَىagainstالْكَذِبِlyingعِلْمُكَyour knowledgeبِأَنَّكَthat you areكَاذِبٌ.a liar.
He said: It is enough of a reproach against lying that you know yourself to be a liar.
وَقَالَSaidرَجُلٌa manلِأَبِيto Abuحَنِيفَةَ:Hanifah:مَاI have notكَذَبْتُliedقَطُّ.ever.
A man said to Abu Hanifah: "I have never lied once." He said: "Well, that is one."
فَقَالَ:He said:أَمَّاAs forهَذِهِthis one,فَوَاحِدَةٌ.it is one.
He said: "As for this, it is one [lie]."
وَفِيAnd inالْمَثَلِ:the proverb:هُوَHe isأَكْذَبُmore of a liar thanمِنْthe captive ofأَسِيرِSind,السَّنْدِ،and that isوَذَلِكَbecauseأَنَّهُthe humble oneيُؤْخَذُamong them is takenالْخَسِيسُand he claimsمِنْهُمْthat he isفَيَزْعُمُthe son ofأَنَّهُthe king.ابْنُthe kingالْمَلِكِ.the king
In the proverb: "He is a greater liar than the captive of Sind," because a lowly person among them is captured and claims to be the son of the king.
وَيُقَالُ:And it is said:هُوَHe isأَكْذَبُmore of a liar thanمِنْthe strange old man,الشَّيْخِand that isالْغَرِيبِ،becauseوَذَلِكَhe marriesأَنَّهُin a strange landيَتَزَوَّجُwhile he isفِيseventy years oldالْغُرْبَةِand makesوَهُوَpeople thinkابْنُhe isسَبْعِينَfortyسَنَةًyears old.فَيَظُنُّyears oldأَنَّهُyears oldابْنُyears oldأَرْبَعِينَyears oldسَنَةً.years old
And it is said: "He is a greater liar than the strange old man," because he marries in a foreign land while being seventy years old, yet makes people think he is forty.
وَقِيلَ:And it was said:هُوَHe isأَكْذَبُmore of a liar thanمِنْMusaylamah.مُسَيْلَمَةَ.Musaylamah.
And it was said: "He is a greater liar than Musaylamah."
وَمِمَّاAnd from whatقِيلَwas saidفِيabout thatذَلِكَfromمِنَpoetry:الشِّعْرِ:poetry:
And among what was said about that in poetry:
حَسْبُIt is enough forالْكَذُوبِthe liarمِنَofالْبَلِيَّةِcalamityبَعْضُsome of whatمَاis narratedيُحْكَىabout him.عَلَيْهِabout him.
It is enough for the liar as a calamity, some of what is narrated about him:
مَاNeverإِنْdidسَمِعْتُI hearبِكَذْبَةٍof a lieمِنْfromغَيْرِهِanyone elseنُسِبَتْbut that it was attributedإِلَيْهِto him.
Never did I hear a lie from anyone else, but that it was attributed to him.
وَلِآخَرَ:And by another:
And by another:
لَقَدْIndeedأَخْلَفْتَنِيyou broke your promise to meوَحَلَفْتَand sworeحَتَّىuntilإِخَالَكَI imagine youقَدْhaveكَذَبْتَliedوَإِنْeven ifصَدَقْتَاyou told the truth.
You broke your promise to me and swore until I imagined you had lied, even if you were telling the truth.
أَلَاBewareلَاdo notتَحْلِفَنَّswearعَلَىbyيَمِينٍany oath,فَأَكْذَبُfor the most lyingمَاyou areتَكُونُisإِذَاwhenحَلَفْتَاyou swear.
Beware, do not swear by any oath, for the most untruthful you are is when you swear.
وَلِآخَرَ:And by another:
And by another:
كَلَامُThe speech ofأَبِيAbuخَلَفٍKhalafكُلُّهُis entirelyنِدَاءُthe calling ofفَوَاخِتَringdoves:جَاءَ"The ripe dates have come."الرَّطَبُThe ripe dates have come
The speech of Abu Khalaf is entirely like the cooing of ringdoves: "The ripe dates have come."
وَلَيْسَAnd they are notوَإِنْeven ifكُنَّtheyيُشْبِهْنَهُresemble it,يُقَارِبْنَهُapproaching itأَبَداًeverفِيinالْكَذِبِlying.
And even if they resemble it, they never come close to it in lying.
وَلِآخَرَ:And by another:
And by another:
قَدْI continuedكُنْتُto fulfillأُنْجِزُfor a long timeدَهْراًwhat I promisedمَاuntilوَعَدْتُbreaking promisesإِلَىdestroyedأَنْwhat I had gatheredأَتْلَفَof wealth.الْوَعْدُwealthمَاwealthجَمَعْتُwealthمِنْwealthنَشَبٍwealth
I continued for a long time to fulfill what I promised, until the breaking of promises destroyed what I had gathered of wealth.
فَإِنْSo ifأَكُنْI have becomeصِرْتُin my promiseفِيa brother ofوَعْدِيlying,أَخَاthen supportingكَذِبٍtruthفَنُصْرَةُhas led meالصِّدْقِto lying.أَفْضَتْto lyingبِيto lyingإِلَىto lyingالْكَذِبِto lying
So if I have become a breaker of promises, then the championing of truth has led me to falsehood.
[مَحَاسِنُ[The merits ofفَضْلِthe virtue ofالْمَنْطِقِ]speech]
[The merits of the virtue of speech]
سُئِلَWas askedبَعْضُsomeالْحُكَمَاءِsageعَنِaboutالْمَنْطِقِspeechوَالصَّمْتِand silence,فَقَالَ:so he said:إِنَّكَIndeed, youتَمْدَحُpraiseالصَّمْتَsilenceبِالْمَنْطِقِthrough speechوَلَاand you do notتَمْدَحُpraiseالْمَنْطِقَspeechبِالصَّمْتِthrough silence,وَمَاand whateverعَبَّرَexpressesعَنْsomethingشَيْءٍis betterفَهُوَthan it.أَفْضَلُthan itمِنْهُ.than it
Some wise man was asked about speech and silence, and he said: "Indeed, you praise silence by means of speech, and you do not praise speech by means of silence; and whatever expresses something is better than it."
وَسُئِلَAnd was askedآخَرُanotherعَنْهَاabout them,فَقَالَ:so he said:أَخْزَىMay God disgraceاللَّهُseclusion,الْمَسَاكَنَةَfor howفَمَاcorruptingأَفْسَدَهَاit is for the tongueلِلِّسَانِand how invitingوَأَجْلَبَهَاit is to speechlessnessلِلْعِيِّand hesitation.وَالْحَصْرِ،By Allah,
Another was asked about them, and he said: "May God disgrace seclusion, for how corrupting it is to the tongue and how inviting to speechlessness and hesitation!"
وَاللَّهِBy Allah,لِلْمُمَارَاةُcontentionفِيinاسْتِخْرَاجِextractingحَقٍّa rightأَسْرَعُis fasterفِيinهَدْمِdestroyingالْعِيِّspeechlessnessمِنَthanالنَّارِfireفِيinيَابِسِdryالْعَرْفَجِ.Arfaj bush.
By Allah, contention in extracting a right is faster in destroying speechlessness than fire in dry Arfaj bush.
فَقِيلَSo it was saidلَهُ:to him:قَدْ"You have knownعَرَفْتَwhatمَاcontentionفِيcontainsالْمُمَارَاةِof blame."مِنَofالذَّمِّ.blame
So it was said to him: "You have known what contention contains of blame."
فَقَالَ:He said:إِنَّIndeed,مَاwhatفِيهَاis in itأَقَلُّis lessضَرَرَاًharmfulمِنَthanالسَّكْتَةِthe silenceالَّتِيthatتُورِثُcausesعِلَلًاailmentsوَتُولِدُand generatesأَدْوَاءًdiseases,أَيْسَرُهَاthe least of whichالْعِيُّ.is speechlessness.
He said: "What it contains is less harmful than the silence that inherits ailments and generates diseases, the least of which is speechlessness."
وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُsomeالْحُكَمَاءِ:sage:اللِّسَانُThe tongueعُضْوٌis an organ;فَإِنْifمَرَّنْتَهُyou exercise itمَرَنَit becomes practiced,وَإِنْand ifتَرَكْتَهُyou leave itحَزَنَ.it becomes stiff.
Some wise man said: "The tongue is an organ; if you exercise it, it becomes practiced, and if you neglect it, it becomes stiff."
[مَحَاسِنُ[The merits ofالصَّمْتِ]silence]
[The merits of silence]
الْهَيْثَمُAl-HaythamبْنُibnعَدِيٍّAdiقَالَsaid:بَعْضُSomeالْحُكَمَاءِ:sage said:تَكَلَّمَSpokeأَرْبَعَةٌfourمِنَofالْمُلُوكِthe kingsبِأَرْبَعِwith fourكَلِمَاتٍutterancesرُمِيَتْthrownعَنْfromقَوْسٍa singleوَاحِدَةٍbow.
Al-Haytham ibn Adi said: Some wise man said: Four kings spoke four utterances cast from a single bow.
فَقَالَSo saidكِسْرَى:Chosroes:أَنَا"I amعَلَىmore ableرَدِّto take backمَاwhat Iلَمْhave notأَقُلْsaidأَقْدَرُthanمِنِّيon taking backعَلَىwhatرَدِّI haveمَاalreadyقَدْsaid."قُلْتُ.said
Chosroes said: "I am more capable of taking back what I have not said than I am of taking back what I have already said."
وَقَالَAnd saidمَلِكُthe king ofالْهِنْدِ:India:إِذَا"IfتَكَلَّمْتُI speakبِالْكَلِمَةِa word,مَلَكَتْنِيit rules me,وَإِنْand ifكُنْتُI do not,أَمْلِكُهَا.I rule it."
The king of India said: "If I speak a word, it rules me, and if I do not, I rule it."
وَقَالَAnd saidقَيْصَرُ:Caesar:لَا"I do notأَنْدَمُregretعَلَىwhatمَاI have notلَمْsaid,أَقُلْand I mayوَقَدْregretأَنْدَمُwhatعَلَىI haveمَاsaid."قَدْsaidقُلْتُ.said
Caesar said: "I do not regret what I have not said, and I may regret what I have said."
وَقَالَAnd saidمَلِكُthe king ofالصِّينِ:China:عَاقِبَةُ"The consequence ofمَاwhatقَدْspeechجَرَىhas led toبِهِis more severeالْقَوْلُthanأَشَدُّregretمِنَoverالنَّدَمِabandoningعَلَىspeech."تَرْكِspeechالْقَوْلِ.speech
The king of China said: "The consequence of what speech leads to is more severe than regret over abandoning speech."
وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُهُمْ:some of them:مِنْ"Fromحَصَافَةِthe soundness ofالْإِنْسَانِa person's intellectأَنْis thatيَكُونَlisteningالِاسْتِمَاعُshould beأَحَبَّmore belovedإِلَيْهِto himمِنَthanالْمَنْطِقِspeechإِذَاwhenوَجَدَhe findsمَنْsomeoneيَكْفِيهِ،who suffices him,فَإِنَّهُfor he willلَنْneverيَعْدَمَlackفِيinالِاسْتِمَاعِlisteningوَالصَّمْتِand silenceسَلَامَةًsafetyوَزِيَادَةًand an increaseفِيinالْعِلْمِ.knowledge."
Some of them said: "It is part of a person's sound judgment that listening is more beloved to him than speech when he finds someone to suffice him, for he will never lack safety and an increase in knowledge through listening and silence."
وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُsomeالْحُكَمَاءِ:sage:مَنْ"Whoeverقَدَرَis ableأَنْto speakيَقُولَwellفَيُحْسِنَis ableقَادِرٌto remain silentأَنْand do it well,يَصْمُتَand not everyoneفَيُحْسِنَ،who is silentوَلَيْسَand does it wellكُلُّis ableمَنْto speakصَمَتَand do itفَأَحْسَنَwell."قَادِرٌwellأَنْwellيَقُولَwellفَيُحْسِنَ.well
Some wise man said: "Whoever is able to speak well is able to remain silent well, and not everyone who remains silent and does it well is able to speak and do it well."
وَقَالَAnd saidأَبُوAbuعُبَيْدِ اللَّهِUbayd Allah,كَاتِبُthe secretary ofالْمَهْدِيِّ:Al-Mahdi:كُنْ"Beعَلَىin pursuit ofالْتِمَاسِgood fortuneالْحَظِّthrough silenceبِالسُّكُوتِmore eagerأَحْرَصَthanمْنكَyour pursuit of itعَلَىthroughالْتِمَاسِهِspeech."بِالْكَلَامِ.speech
Abu Ubayd Allah, the secretary of Al-Mahdi, said: "Be more eager in seeking good fortune through silence than you are in seeking it through speech."
وَكَانَAnd itيُقَالُ:used to be said:مَنْ"Whoeverسَكَتَwas silentفَسَلِمَand stayed safeكَانَwas likeكَمَنْone who spokeقَالَand gained."فَغَنِمَ.gained
It used to be said: "Whoever remained silent and stayed safe was like one who spoke and gained."
وَقَالَAnd saidعَلِيُّAliبْنُibnعُبَيْدَةَ:Ubaydah:الصَّمْتُ"Silenceأَمَانٌis safetyمِنْfromتَحْرِيفِdistortingاللَّفْظِwords,وَعِصْمَةٌand protectionمِنْfromزَيْغِdeviation inالْمَنْطِقِspeech,وَسَلَامَةٌand securityمِنْfromفُضُولِsuperfluousالْقَوْلِ.speech."
Ali ibn Ubaydah said: "Silence is safety from the distortion of words, protection from the deviation of speech, and security from superfluous talk."
وَقَالَAnd saidرَسُولُthe Messengerاللَّهِ،of Allah,صَلَّىmay Allahاللَّهُbless himعَلَيْهِand grant himوَسَلَّمَ،peace:إِنَّ"Indeed,اللَّهَAllahجَلَّthe Majesticوَعِزَّand Almightyيَكْرَهُabhorsالِانْبِعَاقَverbosityفِيinالْكَلَامِ،speech,فَرَحِمَso God has mercy onاللَّهُa manامْرَأًwho is conciseأَوْجَزَin his speechفِيand confines himselfكَلَامِهِto hisوَاقْتَصَرَneed."عَلَىneedحَاجَتِهِ.need
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Indeed, Allah the Majestic and Almighty abhors verbosity in speech, so God has mercy on a man who is concise in his speech and confines himself to his need."